Internationally recognised early childhood and digital literacy scholar joins Monash

The Faculty of Education is delighted to welcome Professor Lisa Kervin AM as Professor in Early Childhood and ARC Future Fellow.

Professor Kervin joins Monash from the University of Wollongong, where she served as Professor of Education in the Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and Director of the Early Start Research Institute. She brings internationally recognised expertise in early childhood education, literacy, digital literacies, and play, and a strong record of research leadership and collaboration with educators, communities, families and children.

“I am thrilled to join the Monash Faculty of Education and to contribute to its world-leading work in early childhood learning and research,” Professor Kervin said.

“Professor Kervin’s appointment reflects the Faculty’s commitment to research excellence that makes a difference for children and families,” said Professor Mary Ryan, Dean of the Faculty of Education. “Her scholarship will strengthen Monash’s position as a global leader in early childhood, play and digital learning.”

In 2025, Professor Kervin commenced an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship, exploring intergenerational play — how children and adults play together across digital and physical environments, in national and international contexts, and how these experiences foster creativity, connection and learning.

Professor Kervin has been Chief Investigator on seven ARC Discovery Projects and was one of six founding Chief Investigators in the seven-year ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, where she co-led the national Educated Child program and served as Academic Lead for the Children’s Technology Play Space. Her interdisciplinary research has informed curriculum and policy for government agencies. Her work has been cited internationally, including by the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control.

In 2024, Professor Kervin was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to tertiary education and to research in early childhood digital literacy.

The Faculty of Education looks forward to Professor Kervin’s contributions to collaborative research, postgraduate supervision and partnerships that advance inclusive, research-informed practice for young learners across Australia and beyond. Professor Lisa Kervin AM, Professor in Early Childhood and ARC Future Fellow, Monash Faculty of Education.